Gate apparatus for turbines and the like



i Sept" R. THOMANN GATE APEARATUS FOR TURBINES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec 22. 19.22

JnvenZ'or:

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flZ'Z'y Patented Sept. 20, 1927;

UNITED STATES ROBERT THOMANN, or LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND.

GATE APPARATUS FOR TURBINES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 22, 1922, Serial No.

My invention refers to gate apparatus for turbines and the like, and it relates more particularly to a novel arrangement of the guide blades and it provides for the general 6 improvement of the construction and ar-' rangement thereof.

Gate apparatus as heretofore constructed with adjustable guide blades for turbines and in particular for Francis turbines ad- 1 mit of the changing. of the direction and the velocity of discharge of the water from the guide wheel for the purpose of the regulation of the efficiency thereof, but not for the. reversal of the direction of the peripheral component of said velocity and the consequent change of direction of rotation of the circulating flow issuing from the guide wheel, because the blades as heretofore constructed overlap each other. The present invention refers to a gate apparatus in which the blades are so arranged that they are adapted to open in both directions from the closed position and thereby to cause the guide wheel current to '25 act in either direction of rotation. By this means it becomes possible, after stopping the engines, to produce a braking action by the reversal of the guide blades, or to so construct the impeller that its direction of rotation becomes reversible.

The invention is shown on the accompanying drawing as embodied by way of example and in a diagrammatic manner in a gate apparatus applied'to a Francis turbine. 7

Referring to the drawing, 1 are the guide blades and 2 is the blade'ring; 3 are the studs movably mounted in this ring and carrying the blades. 4: are the levers for turning the studs and blades, 8 is the governor ring and 7 are linkshinged to the free ends of the leversfand to the governor ring by means of hinge pins 5 and 6 respectively. The means 'here shown and demounting and turning arrangement.

scribed for mounting and turning the blades are well known in the art and it is to be 608,530, and in Switzerland December 23, 1921.

invention resides not in these means, but in the form of the blades which are distinguished from guide blades as hitherto used in that they do not overlap and their tips, when in closed condition, do not contact. In consequence thereof the blades can bemoved simultaneously from the inclined posit-ion shown in full lines into the closed position shown in dotted lines and further into the position shown in dot-and-dash lines where they are inclined in opposite direce tion relative to the centre of rotation. By moving the blades from one extreme position into the other extreme position they will guide the water onto theimpeller in one or the other direction and the impeller can thus be caused to rotate in clockwise and in anti-clockwise direction, respectively, which amounts to an easy. braking of the impeller rotating in one or the other direction.

As shownin the drawing, the width of each blade is inferior to the distance between adjoining bolts 3 and each blade extends substantially symmetrically on either side of its bolt.

The invention is herein shown and described merely in its broad aspects and it is evident that it is susceptible of a great variety of different embodiments and modifications as the conditions of application of the invention will direct, a

I claim i 1. Gate apparatus for turbines and the like comprising a circle of substantially symmetrical guide blades and means for simultaneously turning all said blades in either direction past one another without their tips contacting. I

2. Gate apparatus for turbines and the like comprising a blade ring, studs movably mounted on said ring in a circle a substantially symmetrical guide blade ,on each stud, the'space between adjacent blades be ing unobstructed, the width of said blades being inferior to the distance between adjoining studs and a ring linked to all said studs so as to rotate them all together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

R. THOMANN. 

